Sports
New York Jets Passionate Fan Base Ranks High on ‘Most Delusional’ List
Coming into the 2024 season, there was a lot of optimism among the New York Jets fan base for their outlook.
They were able to address some of the holes that popped on the roster during the 2023 season, upgrading the offensive line and improving the weapons on offense. Aaron Rodgers was healthy after injuring his Achilles four plays into the 2023 campaign.
There was a championship caliber defense in place as well. Fans were confident this was the year that their playoff drought and woes would disappear, and many analysts thought they could contend for a Super Bowl if things went their way.
In typical Jets fashion, nothing went according to plan.
There were delusions of grandeur that never materialized as New York has been one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2024.
The Jets are closer to landing the No. 1 pick than a playoff sot. They have already clinched a losing record for the ninth straight campaign and their playoff drought has now reached 14 consecutive years.
Given how confident some within the fan base was about the success the team would have, it should come as no surprise that fans of the team are viewed among the most delusional in the league.
In a study shared by Action Network, the New York fan base came in at No. 3 on the list of most delusional. Running away with the title as most delusional was the Dallas Cowboys fan base with a whopping 28 percent of the vote.
The Kansas City Chiefs came in at No. 2 with only five percent of the vote. The Jets were right behind them with four percent.
While New York landed on the overall list, they can take some solace knowing that they aren’t in the same stratosphere as the Cowboys when it comes to delusion. Every fan base in the NFL, except for the Jacksonville Jaguars (who picked the New England Patriots), selected Dallas as the most delusional.
On a positive note, as least most Jets fans know and can take accountability for having unrealistic expectations for their favorite team.
Fifty-seven percent of the fan base strongly or somewhat agreed that they possess overly optimistic views more often than not. The Cleveland Browns with 60 percent and Indianapolis Colts with 58 percent were the only fan bases that acknowledged it more.
As shared on the webpage, “The research was commissioned by the Action Network and carried out online by Research Without Barriers (RWB). The survey was conducted between November 20- November 25, 2024, and the sample comprised 3,016 USA NFL fans.”